


Intelligence

by PurpleArrowzandLeather



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 13:09:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14895207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleArrowzandLeather/pseuds/PurpleArrowzandLeather
Summary: On his mission to claim Midgard, Loki isn't as put together as he seems. After finding a way to warn them, Loki must proceed with his plan as if nothing happened. The only question is whether or not they can save him.





	1. Chapter 1

          No one had been more shocked than Tony that Loki had stuck around. He had ample time to run away while he and Thor fought, but he just sat there, watching. Looking at him tied up in the quinjet again, he still just  _sits_ there. 

          As if sensing his gaze, Loki turns to look at him. A smile lights his face, but after years of wearing a false face for the press, Tony knows a tight smile when he sees it. Tony decides to smile back, but more sincere. Loki's face turns down as his smile becomes a grimace.

          Tony sits down in the co-pilot's seat, not risking any more glances towards Loki. He taps his ear.

          "J, you there?"

          "At your service, sir."

          "When we get on the boat, I need you to do some scans."

          "Any in particular?"

          "Bone structure, tissue damage. All of it."

          "Working on a hunch, sir?"

          "As usual. Keep it under wraps."

          "Of course, sir."

          He checks the rear camera, seeing Thor sitting next to Loki and Loki looks over at him. He glances up at the camera before looking back to Thor. Their conversation is brief, and ends woth Loki hissing something before clenching his jaw and jerking away from him. Thor sighs before patting Loki's knee and continuing his pacing aroung the jet. The space seems almost small compared to him. 

          Rogers is in the back, keeping a close watch on the both of them. Tony shakes his head. _If we don't trust each other, this'll never work._  

          With a heavy sigh, Tony realizes he doesn't trust any of them either, especially Natasha. The person he really wants to meet is Banner, but he can't let down his guard just yet. He did read up on the guy, after all.

          Tony scoffs to himself. They all probably read up on his past and no further. 

          Jarvis informs him of proximity to the hellicarrier as he's reading up on Hawkeye. He looks out the window and sees the ship hovering high above the ocean. He wonders briefly how inefficient it is before the quinjet lands on deck. Fury is waiting for them along with an armed posse of men.

          As Tony helps Thor unstrap Loki, Rogers picks up his shield. Loki doesn't resist, only briefly shying from Tony's hands. He does not like to be touched, that's for sure. Even Thor's touch seems less than appreciated. He isn't afraid, though. 

          The posse takes Loki to the cell and Tony gets a quick tour of the ship from Coulson. Jarvis completes his scans almost as soon as Tony offers to set up a date for Coulson and his super-secret girlfriend. He asks for a minute, stepping out into the hallway.

          He pulls out his phone. "Watcha got for me, Jarvis?"

          "It appears that nearly every bone in his body has been broken at least three times, all in different places. There are lesions on his internal organs and an array of scarring across his arms and legs. His core temperature reads at nearly negative two hundred and fifty farenheit." 

          "Holy-" Tony stares at the scans. "I have to ask Thor about this."

          "Director Fury is speaking with Loki as we speak. Now would be an opportune time."

          Tony snaps his fingers and slips his phone into his pocket. Popping back out to the meeting table, he quickly pulls Thor aside, much to Roger's and Banner's dismay.

          "Man of Iron, what do you want?"

          "My name is actually Tony Stark. I just wear the suit, but...." he pauses. "I have something you need to see."

          "Well then, Stark. Show me."

          "Do you know what this is?" Tony asks, pulling up a hologram for Thir to see. 

          "It's a skeleton."

          "And?"

          He looks at it turning is a bit to the left. "It's a very damaged skeleton."

          "Thor, I don't quite know how to tell you this, but this is  _Loki's_ skeleton."

          His brow lowers and a small sound leaves him that Tony doesn't know how to identify. "What?"

          "Look, know your enemy, right?"

          Thor nods, but he can't seem to look away from the holo.

          "I had Jarvis runs scans as soon as Loki was settled, and I hate to tell you this, but, buddy, I think your little brother is under duress."

         "Loki has only ever had one broken bone. This one here, on his arm." Thor is quiet for a few seconds, his gaze still locked on the hologram. "I don't-...... who?"

          "That I don't know. We could ask him."

          "Whoever did this, if they managed to get him to invade earth.... anyone who could control him like this...." Thor breaks off, shaking his head. 

          Tony frowns, already knowing what he means. "They would scare him enough to keep his silence." Thor nods and Tony glances at his watch. "Fury should be done talking to him. I think I'll take next crack. Ask him about all this."

          "I would like to observe."

          "Feel free. I don't know that he'll say something, but it's worth a shot."  

          Thor grimaces, turning back to the room as Tony heads towards the detention block. Loki is sitting in his cell, apparently sleeping. As soon as Tony approaches the glass, Loki sits up, his movement a small jerk and an easy turn of his body. Tony sets a pad and pen down next to him on the railing, not that he'll use it. He just wants Loki to think he might.

          "An interrogator already? I at least expected a break between my sessions of mindless chatter." His expression is a testament to how little his fear is for human methods of interrogation, his grin wide, amused even.

          "I'm not here to interrogate you, Loki." Tony says, glancing back at his phone. "I'm here to ask you about these." The hologram flickers to life above Tony's palm. "Look familiar?"

          Loki rises from his seat, approaching the glass, his height towering over Tony even from outside the cell. "And what, pray tell, do you want me to say?"

          "Well, for starters, where you got all these breaks, since this skeleton is yours. And I have others. Like this one..." Tony says, pulling up internal injuries. "This is your stomach." Tony says lightly, zooming in. "You see all those?"

          Loki's eyes flick from the hologram to Tony and back.

          "This is your spleen. And these.... your lungs aren't supposed to be covered in scar tissue, are they?" 

          "It's of no consequence." Loki says, shrugging.

          "Are you sure? Because  _this_ to me looks like someone tortured you. I want to know who that was."

          "I am here of my own volition."

          Tony scoffs. "Liar."

          Loki stops, turning from the glass. He laughs to cover for the crease in his brow. "You think you know that? You know very little, mortal."

          Jarvis speaks in Tony's ear. "His heart rate is rising, and he appears to be in distress."

          Loki whips around to face Tony. "Who is that?" His next breath is shaky, billowing from his mouth in a cloud of fog. "Who are you speaking with?"

          Tony's eyes widen in surprise at the fog, but he decides honesty is the best with Loki. He gets a cornered look to him for a second before it's wiped out by solid confidence.

          Tony taps his ear. "This? this is Jarvis. He's an AI that I created and he's the one who got me your scans."

          Loki seems to get a handle on himself, schooling his expression into something more neutral. "Oh? And what else can this clever machine do? I doubt it can read minds. I assure you, I have all my faculties about me."

          Tony shakes his head. "You see, I want to believe you. Actually, I think I'd still rather not, since that would mean a huge betrayal to Thor, but still. I don't think you do. Not really."

          Loki shakes his head, backing up. "And what would you know about it?"

          Tony stares. Every action with this guy, every time he moves away or turns, looks like it hurts. "Not a lot, no, but you're an actor, Loki. Always have been." 

          "In the job description, I'm afraid." Loki says, and Tony thinks there might be a chance that it's a real grin on his face.

          "Right. God of lies, mischief. I don't much care for that kind of stuff. I'm more interested in who your puppet-master is."

          "I'm not a pawn to be played with!" Loki shouts, raising his voice for the first time.  

          Tony raises an appeasing hand, figuring his outburst has to do with something more personal than he would ever admit. "Okay, then explain. Where did all of this-" he gestures vaguely to all the scans that are still hovering just between them. "-come from? Or, maybe, just maybe, I'm imagining all of these _lovely_ little pictures. Am I imagining things, Loki?"

          "Once I fell into the Void, would you really think that when I landed, it would be a soft landing?"

          Tony takes a deep breath. "You expect me to believe that you survived all of these injuries at the same time? Come on, Loki. I may not be a doctor, but even I can see that isn't humanly possible."

          Loki laughs. "I'm not human."

          "Loki-"

          " _Stop saying my name._ " 

          "What? Loki, you'd tell me if you were out of your gourd, wouldn't you?" Tony tilts his head imploringly.

          Loki's fingers curl loosely and Jarvis speaks softly that Loki is experiencing difficulty breathing. Tony can see that clearly enough himself and he's about to continue when Jarvis interrupts. "I don't believe that it would be wise to continue speaking, sir."

          Tony looks up at Loki again and Loki gives the smallest shake of his head before backing up and lying down again. "I have nothing more to say."

          With a huff of a sigh, Tony picks up his legal pad. 

          "You know," Loki says casually. "you really shouldn't bring paper and not use it. Everything should be written down."

          Tony looks down at the page, nodding. "Yeah, no. I don't really use paper anymore."

          "Lost art. It's a shame."

          Tony walks away from the glass, tapping the pad against his fingers as he heads out into the corridor. Once he's back in the conference room, Fury stalks in and stares at him, his expression painted with...fury. 

          "Stark, if you ever go for an unsanctioned-"

          "He's under duress." Tony says evenly.

          "And you know this how?"

          Tony growls.  _Because I know the look._  "I just know, all right? It is a gut feeling!"

          Thor gives him a sidelong glance, but Fury seems to buy it. "Under duress, and a gut feeling." he says slowly. He leaves with a shake of his head.

          Tony settles at the table and Thor sits down next to him. All of the others left while Tony was talking to Loki, apparently. 

          "It is troubling to see." Thor says quietly. 

          Tony places the legal pad down next to Thor's hand, the shaky penmanship still clear despite the quality of the lettering.  _I can't stop. Ruse._

          Tony rubs his face. "More so to know. He's there, but he's.... not."

          Thor taps his hands on the table. "We will speak of this later. I need time to think."

          "Me too. Gotta get Cap on board, and the two spies." he gets up, slipping the pad into his pocket. "Besides, I have to meet Fury on the bridge in..." he glances at his watch. "Nope, already late. Okay."

          Snapping his fingers, Tony hops on up to the bridge. "Ah, Rogers, there you are."

          "Did you get lost, Stark?" Steve says, a smirk on his face that isn't entirely unfriendly. 

          "No and no. Actually, after I left the room, my compatriots summarily left me, it seems." Tony shrugs. "Where's Nick?" he sniffs, folding has hands behind his back and strolling up to the console. "Uh, raise the mizzenmast, jib the topsails." He gets funny looks from around the room.  _Distraction, quick._ "That man is playing Galaga! Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did."

          After a few awkward moments and a tiny rant later, Jarvis is clacking along through SHIELD protocols as quickly as possible. A smirk crosses his lips just as Bruce comes onto the bridge. 

          "Hey, Tony. I was just wondering if you caught Fury's conversation with Loki."

          "No, I was talking with Thor."

          "Oh, uh, learn anything, besides the fact that his brother is crazy?"

          Tony grimaces. "Not crazy."

          "Wh-What do you mean?"

          "I'll explain on the way. Come on, let's go figure out that scepter."


	2. Distance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do warn that my story line won't match what Marvel has done. Also, I don't own Marvel, so there ya' go. Disclaimer achieved.

          Loki prowls around the cell, rubbing his hands together. The mortal, Stark, Loki thinks, had come to visit him. Loki's self-control had been tenuous, at best. There was almost no part of his body that didn't feel like it was on fire, and Loki rubs at his wrists to try to rid himself of the crawling sensation all over his arms. Thanos' presence weighs heavily in Loki's mind, every movement not his own. He had managed to have his own conversation with Stark, though the effort of doing what Thanos commanded at the same time had cost him dearly. 

          Every breath is a struggle as he lies in his cell.  ** _If you fight me, you will regret it._** Thanos had said.  ** _You surrendered to me after all of our... efforts. It is long past time you stopped fighting._**  Loki's hands shook as he took the scepter. As soon as it was in his hands, Thanos' voice had filled his mind. He hadn't stopped screaming inside his own mind since.  ** _Win me the earth._**

          He feigns sleep, his lungs burning and his chest aching. It had been by sheer luck that Loki's note hadn't been detected and Thanos hadn't destroyed his mind right there and then. He's barely sane as it is.  _This is madness. If Thor only knew-_

          The thought is smothered and Loki is washed over by Thanos' power, his mind sinking back into submission as pain radiates through his skull. When he opens his eyes, his vision swims and his head pounds. His expression is passive, bored, not giving any clue to the muted terror running through him.

          It must have been a few hours, though there is no light to tell if that's true. He rises to his feet, pacing around to try and loosen Thanos' vice-like grip on his body. It doesn't work as well as he'd hoped. Thanos won't let him go unless Loki surrenders completely to his mercy.  _I thought he would be merciful if I gave in before. I was wrong._

          Thanos' deep chuckle is enough to make Loki go stiff, a fearful breath falling from his mouth.  ** _Turn around. You are being watched._**

          A terribly fake grin stretches across Loki's face as he turns, greeted by the sight of the assassin that Barton had spoken so strongly of. Some semblance of a laugh leaves him. 

          "There aren't many who can sneak up on me."

          "But you figured I'd come."

          "After."  _She doesn't know._ "After whatever tortures Fury can concoct."

          She approaches the glass. "No one said anything about torture."

          "No one had to. You all are easy to read, Fury most of all, willing to go to any length to save his poor little world."

          "And what about me?"

          Loki smirks. "A spy, trained to be any number of people, but I know you. Trained in the Red Room. A killer, murderer. And then Barton found you." a laugh leaves him. "Convinced you that you could be better, that you could be part of a much greater organization."

          She shrugs. "And here I am."

          "But you still kill for them. Still spread their _lies_ , believing it to be for the greater good. A murderer under a new name. You have done all too much to really be saved. And what, dare I ask, would you know about being  _good_?"

          "I know that Barton is. I want to know what happens when you win."

          "Is that all?" Loki muses, pacing around the cell with mirth in his expression as he nears her end of the glass. "What would you give if I spared him? Platitudes? More lies until he's free so that you can lock me in the deepest, darkest hole you can find?"

          "Me."

          "Oh." Loki grins, tilting his head. "A trade. Is this love, dear Agent Romanov?"

          "I owe him my life."

          "Oh, I know. A fugitive turned agent for little less than allegiance."

          Her lips press into a line, but she nods. "So, deal?"

          "I don't know how much your word is worth, little one."

          She pulls a small object from her ear and crushes it under her heel. "I swear it on Barton's life."

           ** _Take the opportunity, wretch._** Loki's fingers twitch and he raises his hand to the glass. "I'll hold you to that."

          Her hand joins his and a flash of green binds her to the oath, a crest forming on her wrist. 

          "Be warned." Loki says lowly. "If you turn back on your word, it will end Barton's life."

          She stares at the sigil for a moment, her eyes flicking to his. "How are you going to get us out of here?"

          Loki's gaze is drawn towards where the lab would be and she looks as well. "Wait."

          She can hear their voices start to carry as they all start to yell at each other.  _They're all getting angry._  Loki can see the moment that realization hits her. He raises a finger to his lips as she looks at him. 

          "I have to go."

          Loki works his jaw.

          "They'll be suspicious if I don't come back."

          "Go. You had better keep your word."

          She tugs on her sleeve to hide the sigil a little better and then runs for the lab. Loki watches her go and calls after her. 

          "Be convincing."

          She stops, glancing back just long enough to nods before she keeps running. He's certain that at the rate she's going, she'll reach the lab before the explosion, but it won't make a lot of difference. Loki mumbles a small prayer that she remembers the cost if she would think to betray him before doing so, but he's cut off. His eyes flash blue and he stumbles, gripping his chest.  _ **No sentiments, Asgardian.**_

          He presses his back up against the edge of the cage and gasps in pain. The ship lists just as Loki gets his bearings.  _Barton._

          Loki stands, brushing invisible dirt from his knees and straightening his leathers. He settles on the seat in the back of the cell, hearing the roar of the beast he was promised. It takes all of a few minutes for the Widow to return, the scepter in her hand. She unlocks his cell door just as Thor rushes into the room. He goes straight for Loki, ignoring Agent Romanov.

          "No!"

          He runs straight through Loki's double and falls into the cage as Romanov shuts the door. Loki faces him, a half-smile on his face. Thanos doesn't stop him. 

          "Are you ever  _not_ going to fall for that?"

          Thor's smile in response is pained. "I guess not."  _He knows._

          Loki clicks his tongue as Thanos pulls his steps back towards the console. "The humans think us immortal. Excuse me, dear." Romanov moves out of his way and Thor looks at her. 

          "You aren't under his control. What are you doing?"

          "A life for a life." she says quietly, barely loud enough for Loki to hear, let alone Thor.

          Loki chuckles. "Anyone can be bought, brother."

          "Not you." 

          Loki's hands stop. "No. Not me." he thrashes against Thanos' control and his breaths draw heavy.  _I was never bought._

          "You can't want this." Thor says. "Whoever is making you do this-"

          Flipping the plastic case of the button Fury had shown him open, Loki grins. "Can and do." The words burn. "Goodbye, Thor."

          Thor shakes his head. "I will see you soon, little brother."

          Loki pushes a genuine smile past Thanos' control. "I suppose you will."

          He hits the button and Agent Romanov drags him away as he stumbles. "We have to go!"

          "Barton." Loki says, climbing to his feet. "Did you find him?"

          "I knocked him out." she moves to hand him the scepter. "Finish your deal, Loki."

          "Agent Romanov! Stop!" Agent Coulson shouts.

          He points a weapon at Loki and she shakes her head. 

          "Think about what you're doing, Natasha!"

          "I have."

          Loki appears behind Coulson, scepter in hand. 

          "Stop!" Romanov says. "Don't."

          Loki looks at her for a long moment, and Thanos pushes him to stab the  ** _poor creature._** The scepter collides with the back of his head and Coulson falls to the floor.

          "Stop me again," Loki hisses. "and your will won't be your own for long."

          Thanos is angry.  _ **Get on with it, whelp.**_

          Loki winces, leaning his weight against the wall for a few seconds as Romanov gets under his arm. She helps him into a quinjet and Loki drops down onto a bench, clutching at his chest. 

          "What's wrong with you?" Agent Romanov demands. "Are you dying?"

          Loki chuckles, the smile on his face pained. "Something like that."

          "Where are we going?"

          "A spire."

          She's quiet for a moment. "Stark Tower?"

          Loki chuckles. "Oh, yes. That's the one."They sit in silence, her right next to him. "You aren't afraid of me?"

          "Hate to tell you this, but I think someone is pulling your strings. You're not all that scary right now."

           ** _Lie, Silvertongue._**

          "No, I would bet not."  _Denying it is exactly what one under mind control would do._

           _ **I ordered you, Asgardian. You have been warned.**_

          Loki has no time to try to block his attack when pain stabs into his mind. He curls on himself, a scream threatening to tear from his throat. A guttural sound comes out instead. 

          "I'm going to throw up."

          He breaks into a cold sweat, shaking. Agent Romanov pulls him to the floor, laying him out flat.  _If she didn't know before, my liege, she does now._

           _ **If you think you are suffering now, you will find a whole new realm of it once you return. I told you to kill him.**_

          Something cold lands on his forehead and his eyes flick open to see Natasha hovering above him. "I told you you weren't scary."

          Loki can't help but laugh.


	3. Diligence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint's POV. Back in time to right before Stuttgart, Germany.

          There was a certain peace to being drowned in blue. It was a sort of calm he had never experienced before. There's nothing on his mind unless he's asked and then he washes back to reality. The thing that made him the most curious was when Loki sat down, seeming to do nothing at all. It's only when he jolts back to awareness with a harsh jerk of his head that Clint is spurred into action. 

          "Leave me." Loki hisses. 

          "Can't do that." Clint insists. "Settle." Loki's hands tremble and Clint rests a hand on his shoulder. "You okay?"

          Loki shakes his head. "No, but you can go attend to the others."

          "They don't need me over there. Besides, I've been meaning to talk with you anyway. Selvig knows what he needs to open the gate and we're going to have to go get it."

          Loki rises to his feet against Clint's insistence that he stay grounded for a couple minutes. "You don't have to watch over me, Barton."

          "In the job description. I'm a people watcher." he shrugs. 

          Clint and Loki approach the tented structure where Selvig is working around the Tesseract. When he sees Loki, he perks up. 

          "Hey! The Tesseract has shown me great things. It's more than knowledge, it's... truth."

          Loki smiles, but Clint can tell that it's fake, just as most of his manner is. There are very few moments when he actually seems to be completely himself.

          "I know. What did it show you Agent Barton?" Loki asks.

          "My next target." 

          "Tell me what you need."

          Clint pulls his bow from its case. "A distraction." 

          Loki tilts his head. "And?"

          "And an eyeball."

          A small smile crosses Loki's features before his expression is blank again. "How about both?"

          Clint shrugs. "Works for me."

          Clint walks over to his worktable where a blueprint of the compound lies and Loki pores over it to ensure guard positions. "You're sure you can get inside without help?"

          "Certain. Their rotations change every couple minutes. All I have to do is catch them when they're moving." Clint taps at a spot on the map and Loki glances at it. "This is the vault. If I'm not in and out of there in three minutes, there'll be an alarm. So, what I need you to do is take this-" he pops open the clips of a heavy black case and pulls out two devices, handing the more dangerous of the two to Loki. "-and you'll need to get a thorough scan of the owner's eye. That's this guy." Clint sticks a picture of him to the ballroom drawing. "He's hosting a gala, so there'll be a crowd."

          "Perfect."

          "You'll join the party from the upper floors if you can get up there without being spotted."

          Loki chuckles. "Of course. Shall I make a scene, then?"

          "The bigger the distraction the better. It won't be long after he's attacked that they figure out what's going on."

          Clint watches Loki carefully. He doesn't  _seem_ so bad, but there's also something about him that's just.... off. He shakes his head from time to time, as if trying to get water out of his ears, or he's not thinking straight. He carefully toys with the scanner in his hands before looking back up to Clint. 

          "And how does this clever little machine work?"

          Clint carefully takes his form his hand, pressing the button on the top. Three sections pop out to the sides. "These blades hold a paralyzing agent. They'll hold his face and neck muscles still enough to take the scan without too much trouble. He'll go into shock, and then the center blades will keep him from closing his eye. It'll take the scan and then transmit them to mine where these light refractors will create an image of his eye. Then I'm in and out within a few seconds."

          Loki nods. "It's a good plan, Agent Barton."

          His lips turn up into a smile, but his eyes remain emotionless, like he's not even there. It makes Clint want to shiver, but he's not about to give away his suspicions. He couldn't say no to Loki if he wanted to, and he knows that since the scepter almost never leaves his hand. He could drown Clint in murky blue oblivion again without a second thought. 

          Strangely, Clint doesn't feel the need to escape. He has a purpose here, and he'd best serve it doing what Loki asks. It's a numbing thought for him to wonder whether that's his own mind or a quiet plea from Loki. Suddenly, he can't stop himself from asking what he wants to know.

          "You don't even want earth, do you?"

          Loki bristles. "Why would you ask that? I'm here, aren't I?"

          Clint raises his hands in defense. "I'm just curious. I mean, I  _live_ here, and I would never want to rule the earth."

          Loki's face turns into a deep-set scowl and he rises smoothly from his seat. Clint takes a involuntary step away from him. "Who are you to question my motives, Barton? Do I need any more reason than that I have been denied my birthright as a king?"

          "I'm not questioning you, sir. Not even the people who are leaders of earth like leading us because nobody wants to listen to them."

          Loki laughs and a shudder goes up Clint's spine. The only thing he can think of is that every dangerous step he takes closer is also stiff with tension.  _He doesn't want to kill me._

          He towers over Clint, a grin on his face and a dead look in his eyes. Clint steels himself.

          "Stop." Loki growls, and Clint doesn't think he realizes that he said it out loud.

          His shoulders slump and he staggers. Clint reaches out to steady him, leading him back to the table. When he looks at Clint, his eyes seem clearer, though the pain on his face makes it hard to tell. 

          "You really can't stop this, can you?"

          Loki shakes his head. "You need to stop asking questions, Barton. I doubt I can stop him from killing you a second time."

          "Him?"

          It's barely a flick of movement when the tip of the scepter is up against his chest and Clint slips into darkness.  _Be careful, Barton._

          Blue clouds his vision when he comes around and the familiar peace and budding calm flows through his chest. Loki stands next to him on the street corner. 

          "Are you prepared?"

          Clint looks down, his bow in hand and the matching device in his back. "Yes, sir."

          He might be imagining things, but Loki's eyes look cloudy with blue, just like his own. For a little bit, he thinks he might be seeing double when a paler shade of Loki stands on his other side and smiles reassuringly. The other remains silent. 

          "Go." 

          Clint slips into the compound as Loki disappears. Both of them. He can see the layout in front of him, measuring his steps carefully to the exact path he had chosen. The first guard falls easily and Clint takes a deep breath as he waits for the one on the roof to turn around.  _Come on._ As soon as Clint can see his face, he lets an arrow fly. He turns, the man meant to replace his first victim rounding the corner. A third arrow drops him. Pulling the bodies out of the way, he can hear Loki in the back of his mind asking him how long he needs. 

          "Thirty seconds." Clint says softly, pulling into the shadows as a patrol passes. 

          Loki confirms his position as he comes down from the upper floors just as Clint reaches the vault door. He pulls out his device, placing it carefully in front of the scanner. 

          "Now."

          He feels a tingling sensation spread across his fingertips as Loki starts his distraction. Loki informs him that he's ready and Clint presses the button to transmit the image of the eye. Clint is in the clear, but Loki gets side-tracked. 

          "I can help." Clint says, leaving the facility behind him. "You know exactly where I am. Just get me there."

          It takes Loki a minute or two to confirm and Clint appears in the street next to him. He slings his bow out as a weapon just as  _Captain Freaking America_ tries to hit Loki in the ribs. He looks up, surprised by the new party and Loki gets the drop on him, smacking him away with the butt of the scepter. He's not surprised when Iron Man shows up, and he lets an arrow sink into a weak point in the armor. It doesn't seem to have penetrated and a repulsor blast knocks his bow from his hands. Clint winces, he swings around to find a knife at his neck.

          "Clint, what are you doing?"

          He doesn't answer her, the blue in his mind making it impossible to respond.  _You don't understand._  Clint makes a mental apology to Nat before he slams her head into the brick fountain. Loki hits the ground as Iron Man shoves the Captain out of the way of Loki's scepter and cracks Loki over the head. Clint stands idly next to Natasha's still form, waiting for orders. Loki groans, though Clint is nearly certain that it's not from the hit. 

          "Barton." Loki hisses.

          Clint snaps into action, dragging Loki out from under Stark's incoming fist. The Captain's shield knocks him away and Loki yells for him to go. Clint picks up his bow, knocking an arrow as he stands over Loki protectively.

          "I said go!" Loki snaps.

          "Can't do that." Clint says, remembering their earlier conversation. 

          Loki whispers in his mind that he needs him to go, to get to him wherever they imprison him and get him out. Clint stills for a moment before he grimaces. 

          "Agent Barton, why are you working for him? He's the enemy." the Captain asks. 

          Clint doesn't get a chance to answer when Loki snaps his fingers and teleports him away. When he realizes what happened, he swears, landing a heavy fist into the wall on his left.  _He has no idea what they'll do to him._

          Running a hand through his hair, he realizes that he has his general will back. The haze could return at any moment, but Clint doesn't need it to dictate what he's about to do. He visits Selvig's tent and tells him delay his plans for a day, whatever they might be. Selvig doesn't question it, the swirling blue still writhing in his eyes. 

          Loki won't be happy about it when Clint tells him what happened, but he might need an extra day.  _Maybe more._

          He grabs the five best guys out of the soldiers he had found and loads up onto their stolen quinjet. It was among the many tools that Clint had.... _acquired_ from SHIELD storage. He does feel a little guilty about that. 

          Clint honestly has no idea why he feels such loyalty to a guy who's planning to take over the world, but he does. Belatedly, he wonders again if his thoughts are coming from his own mind.

           _They'd better be._

          Ordering someone else to pilot the jet, Clint settles into the co-pilot's seat. The take-off is rough, but not bad. They're a few hours away from the hellicarrier, and he only hopes that Fury waits for his best interrogator to wake up. Nat would know how best to get answers from him,  _if_ and only if she could. Everything he'd revealed to Clint had been in a moment of vulnerability. 

          Clint takes a short nap, his bow resting within easy reach and his quiver across his lap.

          He comes to with a start as one of the soldiers wakes him up, slipping an arrow into his hand. Shaking his head, Clint remembers his mission.  _Right._

          After managing to get into the airspace without getting shot down, Clint opens the back hatch. His scans of the ship show a bunch of people on the bridge, but there's another group right where the lab would be.  _I'm coming to get you, sir. You'd better be grateful._  All he receives in response is a quiet confirmation. The link is weak, but there. 

          He looses his explosive arrow just as soon as he can feel the pull of the scepter's energy. He can almost hear them arguing from where he's crouched. 

          The quinjet lands just as the arrow explodes and Clint knocks the grate off of the deck. He leaps in after his men and turns towards the bridge. He climbs up into the rafters and into a ventilation shaft. While his operatives create a distraction, Clint carefully watches to the exact moment when Fury is most confused. When he sinks his arrow into the system, he turns, looking Fury in the eyes. His weapon raises, but he doesn't fire.

          "Barton! Come out now, or I'll shoot."

          "Sorry Director. No can do." Clint says lowly, twisting back into the shaft and heading towards Loki's cell. He'll have to take the long way around to get there without drawing attention, but Loki's not exactly going anywhere.

          He's not surprised when he finds Natasha following him. "Nat-"

          "Surprised you actually recognize me." she growls, slipping nimbly out of the way of an arrow. 

          "You don't understand!" Clint says, kicking at her as she tries to hit him and sending her back a few steps. 

          "And you do? Clint, it's mind control!"

          She manages to get his bow away from him and he pulls out his knife. "It's really not. Or it is, but not in the way you're thinking. He needs help to finish this, Natasha!"

          "Mental help!" she snaps, sliding down under the walkway. 

          "You aren't listening to me, Nat! Someone is controlling Loki!"

          "Do you even hear yourself?"

          Clint gets ahold of her when he comes back up and her knife is near his throat. He turns it back on her, grabbing onto her hair to hold her still. "I don't know! I think I'd hear better if I wasn't mostly deaf!"

          She stops, going slack and he steps away from her. "So it is you? I mean, you're making deaf jokes so of course it is, but you're.... still in there?"

          "I told you. You wouldn't understand."

          "So even if he couldn't control you, would you still be doing this?"

          Clint shrugs. "He's not controlling me now."

          Her brow furrows and she's quiet for a moment. "I made a deal with Loki to take your place."

          "You what?"

          She tugs up her sleeve and he gently takes her wrist to look at the crest. "I made a deal. And if I go back on it, you die."

          "What happened?"

          "I thought you were in trouble, and I wanted to get you out."

          "I can't. I'm in too far."

          "Clint, you have to!"

          He shakes his head and she frowns. While he's unsuspecting, she knees him in the stomach and rams his head into the steel beam of the walkway. Clint groans, fumbling and he drops to the ground. When he manages to crawl to his knees, he looks at Natasha, feeling a sting of betrayal. 

          "Nat, don't-"

          "Sorry, Clint." 

          Clint barely sees her fist coming and then everything goes white.

          When he comes around, nausea buds in his stomach as his vision swims. When he tries to move, he realizes that he's strapped down. He groans, taking deep breaths. 

          Captain America walks in, settling on the chair next to his bed. "Take it easy. You remember what happened?"

          "I remember helping Loki."

          "Yeah, you were- you were mind controlled, son."

          "Was not." Clint growls before he breaks into a smile. "You're so old. What do I even call you? Mr. America? Captain? Mr. Rogers?" At Mr. Rogers, he starts to crack up. "What a lovely neighborhood."

          "I prefer Steve, but if you go for last names, it'd be Rogers."

          "Nah. I'll stick with Steve."

          "What did you mean when you said you weren't mind controlled?"

          "I meant what I said."

          "You tried to sink the hellicarrier."

          "Are you dead? Is the hellicarrier sunk? If the answers to these questions are 'no', then you might just have to trust me when I say that I was in my right mind."

          "No, and no." Steve says. "I want to believe you, Barton. I really do."

          "Then do it, because I'm not kidding around here. I've gotta go help Nat."

          "Help Natasha help Loki, or just Natasha?"

          "You're not making any sense, old man. They're one and the same."

          Just as Steve is about to argue some more, the door slides open and Tony Stark is standing in the doorway. Clint blinks. 

          "You're shorter than I thought you'd be."

          Stark laughs, coming over and tugging at his cuffs to let him loose. "I like you, Clint. Let's go help a Norse god."

          Steve chokes. "You too?" 

          "We have our reasons, Cap. Just roll with it for now."

          "Fine. You get to explain to Fury why we helped Loki take over the world." Steve gets up and shakes his head. 

          It's Stark's turn to blink. "You're actually going with us?"

          "Someone has to be in their right mind on this trip."

          Clint groans, sitting up and grabbing his tac vest. "For the last time, we are. Now can we go?"

          "If you can fly one of those jets, we can."

          "No problem."

          Stark laughs. "Now it's a party."


	4. Coordination

          Natasha helps Loki to lie down once they're inside the bunker. Clint had been very thorough when he picked this place. She doesn't think she ever would have been able to find it had the other soldiers who made it out not been steering. Loki was a bit too incapacitated to give directions.

          Loki breathes heavily, still holding his head in his hands as he curls up. 

          "What's happening to you?"

          "I warned Barton not to ask questions, and for you I'll do the same. You'd best be careful."

          "Being careful is overrated in our line of work. Besides, without good information, we die, so..."

          Loki chuckles, but she doesn't quite find his situation funny. He seems convinced that the less she knows the better, but he still hasn't used the scepter on her so that she won't ask questions at all. She's certain he will, when the time comes. 

          "I'm going to go check on Dr. Selvig. You rest."

          "It won't do any good."

          "If you have your plans set for this evening, you won't be able to do it. I have to go make sure we have time."

          "If you do anything at all that-"

          She pats his arm. "Clint trusted you. I have no idea why, but he did. I won't try anything."

          She leaves Loki on the cot in the shadowy corner of the room, pulling an old SHIELD jacket over his shaky frame. Whoever is in his head is really doing a number on him. It takes her a few minutes to find Selvig and he's sitting at a desk writing things down in a notebook. She's a little put off by his eyes, but he doesn't call out for assistance the moment he sees her, so that's good news. 

          "Ah, Agent Romanov. He told me you'd be coming."

          She glances back at where Loki lies. "He told you, huh? When was this?"

          "A few hours ago."

          Natasha frowns. "You talk to each other?"

          "Yes. The Tesseract connects us. It's wonderful."

          "Right. So, when are we doing this?"

          "Well, it was going to be today, but then Agent Barton told me to hold off a day on a hunch. I suppose he was right. Pretty smart guy for a fed."

          "So I've been told, though sometimes I'm not sure."

          "Yeah. So, we'll go whenever he's ready. All I have to do is get the bridge set up and then it's go from there."

          She nods, rejoining Loki on his cot. "He's ready whenever you are."

          He doesn't respond, and she hears him take a shaky breath. His skin is ashen and slick with sweat and she presses her fingers against his forehead. He's warm.

          "You're worse than Barton." Loki huffs. "See to it that everything is ready."

          "You aren't going to zap me with mind-control?"

          He taps her wrist. "I don't think I need to." 

          As soon as the words leave him, he scrunches up in pain and all the soldiers in the room grimace. One of them drops his heavy load and another drops a checklist that he was about to hand to Selvig. Loki gasps, a tremor running through him. 

          "What's going on?"

          "He wants me to take you." Loki growls. "But I won't do it."

          "He?"

          Natasha cringes. Usually she's not so direct with her questions, but the way Loki said it made her wonder. 

          Loki doesn't answer her anyway, not that she expected him to. She still can't see what made Clint come back for the guy, but there has to be something. Clint doesn't defend just anyone, and she's determined to figure it out. 

          "Tell me what you know about them." Loki says suddenly. 

          "Who?"

          "The team." 

          "What do you want to know?"

          Loki chuckles. "What they're like. Weaknesses."

          Natasha rubs at the mark on her wrist, contemplating just what to tell him. Loki looks at her, a curious expression crossing his fave. She can see that he wants to know anything she can say, but she doesn't think she can lie straight to his face.

          "Well, you know what Clint is like."

          "Yes, a good man. Very smart." Loki bobs his head, his breath hitching before smoothing out. "Perfect aim, as far as I've been able to tell."

           "Mmmhmm." Natasha is quiet for a few seconds before deciding to just be.... honest. She's almost not sure what that is anymore. "They don't trust each other. Or... they didn't. I think they're starting to, but it's rough."

           "Why?"

           "Rogers just came out of the ice a few weeks ago. He doesn't like Stark. Read up on his background, watched some footage. He's 'Captain America', and he's supposed to be patriotic, and honorable. Pure. And he is. That's what's so strange around Stark. American Dream verses the American Man, and neither are quite sure what to think."

          "And Bruce?"

          Natasha looks at him quizically.

          "What?"

          "You call him 'Bruce'?"

          Loki shrugs his shoulders, groaning. " I can relate to knowing there is a monster inside you and-" he cuts off and there's more clattering as his face scrunches up in pain. "And needing seclusion."

          Natasha softens, though she's not sure why. She's seen people in pain before without ever sparing a second glance. "You all right?"

          "This would be easier if I would cooperate, but the longer I'm away-" Loki clenches his jaw shut, breathing hard.

          "Away?"

          She doesn't get an answer, and when she looks over at him, his eyes are glazed with blue. He's stiff, and his chest rises and falls in almost disjointed breaths. 

          "Loki?"

          He doesn't answer her and she hops off the cot, leaning over the side to look at his face. There isn't any emotion there, not anymore, and the swirling blue she had seen in Selvig's eyes is buried deep wothin Loki's. She stares into those eyes and she is sucked in by the serenity there.

          It's when a glassy reflection of Loki reaches out to her, screaming inside, that she reels back. 

          Loki laughs sourly, and somehow, she knows it's not him. She approaches again, looking back into his eyes and grabbing one of his hands. What she sees feels like an invasion, but she can't look away again. 

          Loki is wrapped in chains in the darkness of his mind, tattered and bleeding. His wrists are bloody from attempts at escape and he stares at her, hair matted and eyes bloodshot, his mouth open in a silent scream. 

          Natasha pulls from her own memories, hoping that he can see them. She offers him strength from her Red Room memories, but all he does is stare. He's seeing her, but he's not there. When she looks around again, she realizes she's been watching him for three hours, just standing there facing him.

          She puts a hand on his chest and his hand immediately grabs hers, his grip vise-like. His face is twisted into a sneer and his other hand curls around the scepter. Natasha steps away. 

          "Oh, yes. That's right. Flee, little mortal." Natasha jerks her hand out of his and once the connection is broken, Loki grimaces. He takes deep breaths to steady himself. "It's all right." he says quietly. "I've got it."

          "Loki?"

          He bites his bottom lip before nodding. "I've got it."

          She can't tell if he's reassuring her or himself, but he keeps repeating it until he's got control. She steps close again since the scepter is out of his hand. She looks him in the eyes and Loki is holding a door shut, still bloody, but looking better for it.

          "Is this what Clint saw?"

          Loki nods, not trusting himself to speak. Natasha helps him sit up. "Thank you."

          Natasha nods, helping him off the bench, but he waves her off.

          "I will take it from here. I'm in need of a pilot."

          "I can fly you where you need to go." Natasha says.

          "Good." Loki nods. "Grab my scepter."

          Natasha carefully lifts it and gives it to Loki. His eyes glaze, but it's still him when he holds it. "Are you ready, Loki?"

          "Are you?"

          "You'd better have a good plan."

          His face is passive, but his eyes speak of something far better. "Oh, I have a plan. Don't you worry. You just keep your friends busy."


	5. Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the super long wait on this guys. In case my zillion other works posted after this weren't obvious enough, I got just a Little Bit Distracted. :)

          Natasha was kind enough to drop both Loki and Dr. Selvig off at the Tower before starting a slow patrol of the perimeter.  _I warn you, Romanov. This may get messy._

          She makes an affirming noise in response and Loki shakes his head. She must be all too used to missions with the possibility of going south. There's a stinging pain in his head that reminds him of Thanos' protests against him letting her retain control and Loki hisses in pain. He can see Stark coming a mile away, very literally, and he teleports down to the landing pad. He lets Thanos revel in the destruction below as the Chitauri start to fly down from the portal.

          Loki's heart pounds in his chest, but his face is expressionless. Anxious, he teleports down to the walkway hanging hundred of feet over the ground. Stark lands on the landing pad only minutes later, knees bending. He stares at Loki as he walks into the building, his eyes questioning Loki without ever having to speak a word.  _Is it safe? Are you being controlled now? Was Barton right to trust you?_

          Loki swallows down his nervousness and walks towards him, staff hanging loosely in his hand. 

          "So, what do I call you? Mr. Odinson? Sounds a little droll, but hey, who am I to judge?" Stark chuckles, mostly to himself. "Drink?"

          Thanos pushes at him to ignore it, but Loki moves towards the table. "Maybe just the one."

          He downs a glass of Scotch and Stark smirks at him, Loki backing away a few steps and turning to face the glass. 

          "So, nice day, huh? A little chilly for an invasion, though, don't you think?"

          "Yes, I suppose, but I'm not averse to the cold."

          Loki looks out at the city, catching the barest hint of his reflection in the window. He looks terrible. Thanos' grip tightens and Loki's throat constricts, any words he might have offered otherwise coming to a halt. His mind burns as Thanos orders him to take Stark.

          "Loki? You know you can't win, right pal? We've got the team outside."

          "Oh, I know." Loki answers, his grin wry and painful. 

          "So, then, you know this plan sucks, right?"

          Stark approaches him and Loki turns, lifting the tip of the staff up as he chuckles. "I wouldn't say it's so bad. I have an army. And their numbers are so great that you will be overwhelmed."

          Stark rolls his eyes. "We've got a hulk. The only one doing the overwhelming will be us."

          Loki tries hard not to grimace as Thanos growls in his ear, slowly pushing the staff forwards to take Stark. It touches the glowing ring on his chest and the hum of energy dies down. Tony tilts his head, squinting at him. Thanos rages in Loki's mind, urging him to try again. Tony pushes the tip of the scepter over a few inches until it touches on human skin once again. He gasps as the darkness fills his eyes and the blue swirls into his vision. Loki pretends it didn't happen, ensuring that Thanos believes it was a result of his own action.

          "Fight for me now, Man of Iron."

          Loki can see Stark's intelligent gaze addressing him even under the influence of magic. He knows what he's doing. He has touched Loki's mind now, and he understands. He dips his head in acknowledgement. 

          With a flick of his wrist, Loki orders Stark to wreak havoc on the streets, having him keep to the vehicles where there are no people and the storefronts where no wondering eyes gaze out. As he gives the order, he shoots an undercurrent of thought to all the humans connected to him to make a show of it.  _Be flashy and make some noise, but be careful_. _The plan fails if we lose to the earth and return empty-handed_.

          Loki hopes that the message is subtle enough for Thanos not to see the betrayal right in front of his nose. He lets Thanos believe that his hope is that of escape and not sabotage. 

******

          Tony lands in the street for a few moments, searching around for Bruce. The best way to make noise is with a Hulk, and Tony fully intends to make him angry. Loki's plan is quite simple now that he's seen the outcome in his own head. The blue crowds his vision and makes his head a little fuzzy, but his mind is calm. He notes everything around him without feeling fear or panic. For a moment, he wonders if this is how Loki is feeling, but then he remembers what he had looked like in the glass chamber on the helicarrier: strained, as if someone was strangling him from the inside. 

          From what Loki has subtly shown him in the last few minutes, all he needs is something actually surprising to get whoever is controlling him out of his head. Tony smiles to himself, blasting the side of a building and wheeling around to upend a car. He's not doing any permanent damage, thankfully, but it'll take some time to repair. 

          After a moment of deliberation, Tony is blindsided by Clint knocking his feet out from under him and Cap standing over him with his shield. Tony lets his face plate pull up and he coughs. 

          "Ow."

          Clint chuckles, reaching a hand down to help him up. "Sorry. Had to be sure you wouldn't fly off. We've been looking for you."

          Tony nods, looking at Steve. Steve still holds his shield close as he looks Tony up and down. "I see you've met up with Loki."

          "Yup. We had a drink. Nice guy."

          Steve huffs out some semblance of a laugh. "Zapped by the scepter and you still think he's a good guy."

          "He's trying to get out, Steve. You've just gotta trust us on this."

          He smiles, shaking his head and yet seeming ready to follow their lead. "Fine, so what's the plan?"

          Clint smirks. "As Nat would put it: cognitive recalibration."

          "You mean like what she did to you, except in this case worse?"

          "That is exactly what I mean."

          Tony puts a hand on Clint's shoulder, grinning. "I know just how to do it, too."

          Tony fills them in on everything he's learned since joining Loki in the murkiness of the scepter's power, setting up his plan in detail easy enough for Steve to comprehend. Shockingly enough, he's down for making the Hulk come out of his human-sized box to beat the crap out of a Norse god.

          The only issue is finding Bruce. 

          It takes a long time, and they have to keep up appearances of fighting Steve every time Loki swings around on one of the Chitauri fliers. He's keeping an eye on them, but he's also doing an excellent job of keeping the Chitauri in line long enough for them to get everything ready. Clint prepares his trick arrows and Tony lets Bruce know what's going on when they find him. They find Nat over by a police barricade where she's pretending to attack the guards. She's yelling at them to run, but her actions look deadly from a distance. 

          Everything works out perfectly. They point the Hulk at Loki after Clint takes him down with an explosive arrow. When Thor showed up, Steve sent him off to slow the incursion while they dealt with Loki. If Tony is completely honest with himself, he's worried about just how much restraint the Hulk will have. Bruce already noted that it's just like pointing a missile at a singular person. He has no idea what the fallout will be until the damage is done. 

          Tony and Natasha can feel the confusion across their connection to Loki as the Hulk confronts him.  _Your beast is loose. When he reaches me, I will attempt to stall._

          Stalling will only make him angry. They don't tell Loki that it's the plan.

          -  _Stark! You hear me?_ -

          "Fury." Tony answers, 'accidentally' blasting a Chitauri as he blows up a vehicle. 

           _\- There's a nuke coming._ -

          That's all he needs to say. Tony runs an intercept course, informing Loki that he's chasing down a device detrimental to their fight. Loki, of course, spots the subtle warning and orders him to pursue. The command is a front, but Tony knows just how high the stakes are for Loki if something believable isn't done. He'll do everything in his power to make sure Loki gets out alive.

          Tony locks onto the nuke, suddenly grateful that only Loki can feel the thrum of his thoughts and not whoever is watching Loki. He's halfway to the portal when his connection to the younger Asgardian fails and Natasha says that she can close the hole is space. He assumes that the Hulk has done his work, resigning himself to what must be done now as he has Jarvis call Pepper. 

          Whatever happens on the ground, Tony has to stop the invasion.  _How's that for ya, Capsicle? Looks like I made the sacrifice play after all._

          "Call failed." Jarvis manages, his systems going dark.

          Just below the portal, the team is arguing over closing everything down. Because of the potential for radiation from the nuke coming through, Cap tells Natasha to close the portal. Tony falling through safely before it closes is the best thing he's seen all day.

          "Son of a gun." Steve says, cradling his ribs as the words come out a bit breathless. 

          Hulk makes the catch when they find that Tony is unresponsive and he's the one who scares Tony's chest piece back to life. Steve couldn't be happier. He was just starting to get to know the guy, after all. 

          Tony is hungry. For a moment, that's all that's on his mind, but then he remembers Loki. They move quickly to reach him, making their way to the top floor of the tower with urgency. He's lying right where the Hulk left him, on his side with his back to the door. Tony gently rolls him onto his back, earning a whimper from Loki.

          "Don- Don't touch anymore." Loki manages, still a bit dazed. " _Don't_."

          "Take is easy, Loki. It's just us."

          He swallows easing some if the pressure off of his left hip. Tony wouldn't be surprised if something was cracked or even broken. He looks back at Thor, the man in question staying back even though he looks as if he'd like to take Loki and fly off. 

          "How're you feeling?"

          Loki coughs, nodding. "Better. Thank you. Although, I believe I could have done without being thrown around like a ragdoll."

          "You were surprised though, right? That was kind of the point."

          "It was enough." He winces, turning his head a bit. "Thor."

          He crouches next to Loki. "Brother."

          Thor puts a hand out for Loki to take and the younger Asgardian takes it, gripping with a strength that is very strong despite his position. His breaths start to shake on the way out and Tony backs off to give the two of them a moment. Steve puts a hand on his shoulder, gripping it just a little to reassure him that he did good. Tony glances at him and Steve smiles.

          "You were right on this one, Tony."

          "Thanks, Cap."

          He pulls his hand back right as it could have gotten awkward and Tony appreciates it. He looks back to Natasha and Clint where the two spies are standing hand in hand. Hulk has disappeared and Tony would be willing to bet that it's because Bruce is throwing up in the bathroom after his transformation. 

          Thor manages to get Loki on his feet, supporting him more on the left than anywhere else. They pause by Natasha where Loki releases her from her oath and then make their way down with the team. 

          Tony taps Thor's shoulder. "Are you two hungry? Because I could go for some shwarma right now."

          Thor looks at his brother. "What do you think? Are you hungry after your invasion?"

          "I don't care. I just need to rest awhile, and if that requires settling in to eat, it is of no consequence to me."

          "Food it is, friend Stark."

          "Wonderful." Tony smirks, leading the way out of the elevator. "Right this way."

          Loki works on healing himself as they walk, but his effort is a little iffy. Thor keeps ahold of him, not wanting to let go in the event that he would stumble. They will deal with the fallout from the invasion after his brother is well again. There is no possible way that anyone is taking Loki from him again so soon.

          Loki sits next to Clint and Tony upon reaching the shwarma joint and Thor sits across from them so he can keep an eye out on the front of the building and the other on his little brother. Clint has Natasha on his opposite side, and he seems pretty content with himself. Steve and Tony sit on opposite ends of the table, talking shop and Tony explaining a little of the science to him while passing the seasoning. Steve seems genuinely interested, and Tony can't help but warm up to him. 

          All those years of hearing his father talk about Steve kind of turned him sour on the subject, but now he's getting a new point of view. Steve is showing Tony more interest than Howard ever did, and it feels surprisingly good. 

          Steve has a newfound respect for Tony. He of all people should know that a person is far more than they are on paper, and he had forgotten that for a time. After the nuke, Steve finally got a look at the man who turned his weapons company around after being a prisoner of a war that was his own making. Howard would be proud, even if Tony wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't, believe it. 

          Natasha and Clint watch the pair of them with intesrest as well, sensing the budding trust between the two. Loki seems to be tuned into whatever Tony is explaining, human sciences foreign to him, and a bit primitive. 

          The protective instincts of humans has officially confused him. He came in fully intending to take over the world, but then they discovered the truth and it's as if suddenly he was more important than everything else. If Thor's current watchfullness is any indication, he still is. 

          It's a first. A brilliant one at that. Despite their all being focused on one thing or another, Clint and Tony both make the occassional effort to include him in conversation.

          For some reason, Loki has the distinct feeling that they will stay with him throughout everything, and he's determined for the first time in a few hundred years to see it through.


End file.
